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**Raising Tipis and Solving Crimes:            The Nez Perce Indian Youth Explorers’ Police Academy**
 March 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 2

Encouraging young people to pursue a career in law  enforcement is not easy anywhere, but it’s particularly difficult in tribal  lands where many young people face challenges such as high rates of poverty,  alcoholism, and drug abuse. Though these kids would greatly benefit from the  support of Native law enforcement who understand their culture and know the problems  they face, many don’t trust police officers. What’s more, they are vulnerable  to temptations that can foreclose the possibility of a law enforcement career. 
Fostering a New Generation of Law Enforcement Leaders
To change this situation, foster a new generation of Native  law enforcement leaders, and build strong community relations, the Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho collaborated with its tribal police department to create the Indian Youth  Explorer’s Police Academy (IYEPA). Launched in 2014 with support  from a COPS Office Community Policing Development microgrant, the program encourages  teenagers to consider a career in law enforcement by introducing them to police  work through a variety of engaging activities.

 Designed to encourage character development, physical  fitness, good citizenship, and patriotism, the IYEPA activities and classes  incorporate many components of Police Academy training. Among the law  enforcement topics covered are tracking, firearms operations, officer safety,  building clearing, tactical medical procedures, and giving court testimony.  Physical fitness is emphasized in drills, swimming, and competitive sports; the  program stresses the principles of community policing and public service.
Serious Fun and Games
Taught and supervised by volunteers from the Nez  Perce Tribal Police Department (NPTPD), the Idaho State Police,  and the Nez Perce  Sheriff’s Office, the academy is organized like a sleepaway camp and  is hosted on the Lewis-Clark  State College in Lewiston, Idaho. Open to non-Native as well as  Indian youth, its popularity has grown over the past four years, drawing teenage  boys and girls from areas throughout the Northwest. 

 According to NPTPD Officer Jared Aubertin, who was an  instructor in the 2018 program, this is because the participants not only learn  a lot, but have a good time learning it. “These kids are very enthusiastic,  every morning they were champing at the bit, ready to get started.”

 They especially enjoy experiencing “real life” police work  in simulated law enforcement scenarios and training exercises. Said Officer Aubertin,  “The kids love acting like a police officer, putting on the gear, doing active  shooter scenarios, learning arrest and control techniques, even report writing.  They really get into the role playing.” One of the most popular activities is  the crime-solving scenario, in which each participant takes an active part as  lead detective, evidence collector, or another role to determine which of the  “suspects” committed the murder. 
Native American Cultural Emphasis
Along with the law enforcement training and presentations,  the participants learn more about their Native culture. They play stick games, a  traditional way of resolving disputes that is now played for fun, and develop team-building  skills by working together to pitch tipis. 

 There is also an emphasis on Native history and language,  with instructors who are familiar with Indian culture sharing what they know. Sergeant  John Williamson, a volunteer who has Nez Perce heritage, taught some of the attendees  words from this tribal language. Recently, he saw one of the young women who  had been a participant. “She greeted me with ’tots maywee,’ which means ‘good  morning’ in our tribal language. I got a kick out of that.” 
New Understanding and Interest in Law Enforcement Careers
He also notes that in addition to a greater understanding  of their culture, the participants gain a greater understanding of what it  means to be a cop. Sergeant Williamson says, “they learned that our mission is not just to arrest bad guys  but to serve our community.” One incident he recounts is of a boy he saw leaving  a presentation on forensic interviewing techniques with tears in his eyes. 

 “I asked what was bothering him and he said that he  remembered when his mother was beaten up and the officers who came to the house  interrogated her, how angry he was at the time. He kept telling them to stop  asking questions and take her to the hospital. He now realized why they had to  do that first.”

 Many of the kids who have completed the academy program  have said they want to make law enforcement their career. One teenager has  returned to the academy as a counselor, others have become security guards, and  several more are starting criminal justice programs in college. 
Everybody Benefits
Many of the participants’ parents have also reported that  they have seen an improvement in their children’s behavior and a greater sense  of responsibility, as well as an inclination to get involved in community activities.  The effect on the officers was equally positive. Said Officer Aubertin, “It  made me more understanding of these kids and put a little pressure on me to be  the best I can. I want to be one of the reasons these kids become police  officers.” 

 The officers emphasized that this program would not be  difficult to replicate, and the Nez Perce Tribe is pleased to offer guidance to  other tribal communities that wish to provide a positive, fun introduction to law  enforcement for their young people by creating a Youth Explorer program. 

 Sergeant Williamson said, “I feel this is very important  for Native youth, who are faced with so many obstacles that it is becoming harder  and harder to recruit. There are many disqualifiers to becoming an officer, and  I know people now in their mid-twenties who wish they had done things  differently when they were teenagers so they could be law enforcement officers  today. Whatever I can do to motivate any of our Native young people to move  ahead in life, I will do—because in the Indian community if one succeeds, we  all succeed.”

 Faye Elkins          Senior Technical Writer

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